A re-occurring problem with hand-held power tools is arriving at tool handles that provide a convenient and comfortable hand/wrist position. For example, different tools may utilize a straight, side, angled or spade handle in order to achieve a correct hand/wrist position. The problem with this concept is that the operator has to do a variety of different jobs with the same tool. Thus, a straight handled tool may be ideal for one application but not ideal on another application where a turned or angle handle is better suited.
In an attempt to overcome this limitation, power tool developers and manufacturers have introduced adjustable type handles for their power tools. For example, U.S. Pat. Ser. No. 4,522,270 issued to Kishi discloses a hand-held power tool which provides a handle that pivots angularly with respect to the tool housing. Similarly, U.S. Pat. Ser. No. 3,571,874 issued to Von Arx discloses a descaling device which also has a handle that pivots angularly with respect to the tool housing. These inventions allow the tool handle to be angularly pivoted toward or away from the tool attachment/impact point. For instance, the handle may be at a 90.degree. position with respect to the tool housing for a first job (i.e., in a "pistol" type configuration) and then changed to a 180.degree. angle with respect to the tool housing for a second job (i.e., in a straight line configuration). This gives the operator an increased ability in finding a more comfortable or efficient handle position which he or she lacked in the past.
While the aforementioned patents provide a certain amount of improvement, there are still problems which these devices do not address. For instance, given that most tools have a trigger on the handle, these devices do nothing to change the direction of the trigger on the handle with respect to the tool housing. In other words, the trigger always faces in the same direction--towards the tool attachment/impact point. Under certain circumstances, in order to achieve the ideal hand/wrist position, an operator may want to have the trigger facing a direction other than that of the direction of the tool.
Until now, no power tool has existed which provides a handle that allows for axial rotation of the handle about an axis perpendicular to the tool housing. The present invention seeks to provide this functionality.